Precious, Soft, Baby Quilts are SEW Irresistible

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Sharon Camp

Aren’t those precious, soft, baby quilts irresistible?

You take a quick trip to that favorite fabric store, pushing the shopping cart up and down the crowded aisles, and trying to choose just the right coordinating fabrics for your next quilt.  The question in your mind right now or the problem you have to solve is how to choose the fabrics and what kind of quilt do you really want to make?

Amazingly, your fabric cart stops in front of the adorable and colorful baby fabrics.  The pastel cotton prints and flannels seem to jump right off the shelf and into your cart.  Ideas for quilts seem to flood your mind.  The cotton knits made of 100 percent cotton in stripes, polka dots, and SEW many colors will become irresistible handmade quilts or receiving blankets that are SEW soft, smooth, and stretchy.

Next, you spot the wide assortment of synthetic knits.  Once you feel them, you will put those ultra-soft fabrics into your cart for the next baby quilts.  You envision a variety of patterns that would be perfect with each of the yardages you have just selected.  SEW much fabric is always available and SEW little time!

Another popular fabric that is used in baby quilts is flannel.  Instead of hiding the seams, a popular pattern is the rag edged type quilt.  In this pattern the seams are exposed and with each washing the seams fray making a decorative edging that is soft and cuddly for baby quilts.

Yes, baby quilts made with a combination of 100 percent cottons, cotton knits, and a few synthetic knits will be SEW much fun to make.

I spy animal baby quilts

Most quilts are large bed quilts that take months to complete.  Baby quilts, because of their smaller size, can be quilted in a shorter span of time.   Depending on the patchwork pattern you choose, most average baby quilts range in size from 36” X 45” to 52” x 52.”  Keeping the measurement of the quilt top’s width to less than 45” means the backing will fit on one piece of 45” fabric. This quick and easy method will not require a pieced backing for your any of the baby quilts.

Recently, you received an invitation to a special baby shower.   This calls for a unique, one-of-a-kind gift.  You can design one of many soft, irresistible baby quilts patchwork patterns, instead of shopping for a baby gifts in the mall stores or online.  Take out those pattern books, pull out the newly purchased fabric, and even dig into your stash for other fabric samples.  You can quilt your own baby shower gift in no time.

The perfect baby gifts come from the heart.  The time you invest to create and design a special gift and your talent to create those special, soft, and irresistible baby quilts is time well spent.

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Starting a New Year of School

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Sharon Camp

The start of a new school year is like the beginning steps to the designing of any of my baby quilts.

Today began my 39th year as an elementary classroom teacher.    It was wonderful to watch the excitement of those young ladies and gentleman as they nervously entered my classroom this morning, and anxiously awaited what the school day bring and how the new school year would unfold.

My task is to shape these creative and bright young minds, with the hopes and dreams of a better tomorrow by giving them the skills in reading, mathematics, science, and language arts.   My daily efforts support their learning in the academic skills of the state standards in these areas, as I guide each to reach their potential.  

Beginning each of my new baby quilts is much like the first day of school.  I am anxious about choosing at perfect patchwork patterns or colors and fabrics that will be just right for the making of my baby quilts.  On that first day, I start to pull out pattern books, graph designs, and drag out fabrics of various colors and textures from my stash.

One of many baby quilts

My task is to create unique handmade baby quilts that will become treasured keepsakes for some little boys or girls.  Ones that they will love, hug, cherish and call their own. Quilts that will become special baby shower gifts for a mother-to-be.  These baby quilts will not be found anywhere in the stores or on the Internet.

Daily, I put love into my stitches, as I hand quilt each of the baby quilts, so that each will last a lifetime.

Day 1 of school is over – 179 more to go! 

Interestingly, I have never counted the number of baby quilts I made….

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Tiny Tillia – Gift Ideas for Babies

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Sharon Camp

Here is a great new offer for Moms to compliment my quilts for babies called Tiny Tillia.

Play Smarter! Tiny Tillia’s Ark $32 – A boatload of fun

pink blanket for babies

Originally sparked by a mother’s love for her babies, Tiny Tillia by Avon is a world of charming baby products designed to turn everyday routines into special moments for mother and child. The softest cotton babywear. The smartest developmental toys. The most inspired nursery decor. The highest quality bath and body products. An entire Mommy Tillia line to pamper mom. There’s even a cast of lovable characters like Dilly Pig and Duncan Dog who are bound to become baby’s new BFFs.

pig hoddie for babies

Some of the great fun items for your babies that I think you might like to check out are the microfleece swaddle blankets, or the Tiny Tillia Hoddie Jackie or the every so soft Tiny Tilliapink soft gift blanket.

abc gift blanket for babies

Play Smarter! Tiny Tillia’s Ark $32 – A boatload of fun

All of these wonderful items for babies and many more would make great baby shower gift ideas.

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A Baby Shower’s Special Gift

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Sharon Camp

How hard can it be to find a baby shower gift?

The baby shower invitation arrived for a special friend or maybe your niece or granddaughter.

  • This means no ordinary baby shower gift will do for this present has to be unique, special, and stand out at the baby shower.

  • One that will not be tossed aside after a few statement of “Wow how nice,” or “So cute,” and then be forgotten in the pile with the other baby shower gifts.

  • One that will bring has everyone at the baby shower passing your baby gift around for all to see and touch.

  • One that will bring tears of your to the eyes of the new mom, as she visualizes her new baby with this new baby cuddled in the new shower gift

  • One that won’t get put into a dresser drawer to be forgotten after the thank you note has been written and the tags removed.

  • One that the baby won’t outgrow in a few weeks or even a month because babies tend to grow so fast at those early stages.

  • One that the new mom won’t already have the same gift or get one at the shower maybe in a different color or pattern design.

Now were does such a baby shower gift exist?

animal I Spy quilt for a baby shower gift

 

Think of your own small child and remember those good times and what they kept snuggled close by with them at night, dragged around daily until it was so thread bare you were afraid to wash it for fear their precious treasure may just not hold together.  Yes, it was their favorite baby quilt or blanket.

SEW Soft and Pink baby quilt for a baby shower gift

A baby shower gift of a handmade baby quilt will be the solution to that baby shower dilemma.

Can’t you just picture the baby shower?  The mother-to-be is opening your gift and holding your handmade baby quilt for all to see.  A gift so unique a different from anything she has opened from others at the shower.  Tears spring into her eyes as she cuddles the soft cotton flannel to her cheeks and dreams of the little one that will soon be in her arms wrapped in that baby quilt.  In a flurry, everyone in the room wants to take a closer look, touch the soft fabrics, and see the handmade stitches that make your baby shower gift one-of-a-kind.

You did it!  A unique baby shower gift and a handmade baby quilt to last a lifetime.

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A Baby Quilt – Gotta Love Those Monkeys

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Sharon Camp

Monkey fabric was my choice for my lastest  baby quilt.  As I sat and finished the binding, I thought of those monkeys.

Quilters often spend their time in solitude.  I mean that they sew and quilt in their own homes or in their sewing rooms, when they are by themselves or alone. This gives the quilter, plenty of time to contemplate or think about quilting.  I am sure this has happened more than once to many of you.  You pick up that fabric and start to daydream about …

Monkey Business baby quilt

Well here I sit yesterday in my sewing room working on the last of the binding for my newest baby quilt.  The main fabric I chose has a design of monkeys, so I my thoughts are on the new movie that I have seen advertised, “Return to the Planet of the Apes.”  Jungles and environments are coming to mind where these primates live currently, and these and many more thoughts ramble through my brain as my fingers stitch the binding careful to the quilt.

Now as we all do as quilters, I am sitting under a quilt.  Plus to add to the situation, I live in South Florida, but it feels warmer than just the quilt.  Beads of perspiration seem to form as my needle as the stitches across the row of this yellow and brown baby quilt.  It is not just the quilt, I feel so I go for a glass of water to help cool myself down.  Thinking about steamy jungle scenes must have made me warm.

But as I passed my home air conditioning gauge, I could see that it was indeed set at it usual mark, but the temperature inside the house was over ten degrees hotter than usual.  It was instant shock that the monkey baby quilt and my own jungle thoughts were not the only things warming up the sewing room.

With a few quick checks, it was time to call the air conditioning repair man.  Unfortunately, being Sunday night, I was destined to not only finish my monkey baby quilt binding in the jungle type heat and humidity of the South Florida but I was going to find out how they slept in that environment too.   

As I put the last stitches on the binding of that baby quilt, still thinking of those monkeys in the jungle, one last thought can to mind.   My monkeys on my baby quilt and I will at least have a fan tonight!

 

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Baby Quilts for Twins

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Sharon Camp

You know how hard it is to select or make a choice of baby quilts for your shower gift or the mother-to-be.  There are all types of materials and all patterns to choose from, like 100% cotton that keep your baby snuggly warm or the pretty pastels of blue, pink, yellow and green.  

Cotton Candy for Girls baby quilts

Of all the choices of baby quilts, making a selection that is just right could take hours on the Internet, and to top it off, you just found out the mother-to-be is having twins!  Yikes, you now need to find two baby quilts that are either alike or similar.    I understand what you going through and I have some great tips on how to find the perfect baby quilts for the twins.

 Cotton Candy for Boys baby quilts

Time is always a factor these days.  So if you are like me, you don’t have much to waste searching the many sites looking for two baby quilts that are alike for the twins.   I have twin cousins, two friends with twins, and another on the way.  Being a quilter, I was able to make the baby shower gifts for these mothers-to-be, but then I had questions from everyone at the shower asking where could they find two baby quilts alike.

Let me give you some great advice on how to find those great baby quilts for twins:

  1. Many times a quilt site will have two baby quilts that are the exact same pattern but are different colors.  Try this option.  If the twins are a boy and a girl, look for either pinks or blues or try for either of the yellows and green combinations.  Many times a quilter will design many baby quilts using a single pattern but change the color.
  2. Try looking for the same color combinations and fabric but don’t worry if the pattern is different.  Often a quilter will purchase fabric in quantities and from that amount create many quilts with the same fabrics and color combinations but will change the patterns and designs.  This will give you an excellent opportunity for baby quilts for twin girls or boys, since the colors will match but each will have their unique design to identify with.
  3. I know of all the baby quilts on the Internet, you have found just the one you want and there is ONLY one.   There is always an e-mail address of the quilter attached to the website.  If this baby quilt was made once, and you ask nicely, the quilter just might make a matching set.
  4. The last and final option does exist, but there are baby quilts that have an exact duplicate if you want two to match.  I do not mean that you have to purchase from a department store that has hundreds from a catalog.  Many quilters do like to recreate their baby quilts, so if you only see one on the website, again an e-mail to the quilter might just land you a surprise that there is an exact match in her inventory.

 

Now, enjoy shopping for baby quilts for the baby shower gift or the mother-to-be.

 

 

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Where Do I Come Up With Ideas for My Baby Quilts?

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Sharon Camp

It may be in the middle of the night or on the way to the grocery store, I can get an idea for my baby quilts sometimes in the most unusual places.

stork gives ideas for baby quilts

I live in South Florida with a lake in my back yard.  It is not uncommon to have the most unusual wild life in and around the water.  A beautiful stork flew into the pine tree last week and though he may have flown for miles, chose to stand, as the species always does, on one leg.   He or she posed long enough for me to take this photo.  How appropriate, a stork came by, as I am looking for ideas for baby quilts!

Next, there was the mother duck and her 6 ducklings, but they were too shy for the camera and the photo just didn’t happen.   The photo of that lovely scene, as they floated across the lake just didn’t happen, but they sure inspired me to pull out my stash when I came back into the house.  Out came the blues, greens and yellows.  I found 3 different prints of that had ducks that would shape nicely into some new baby quilts.  Next, I pulled out patterns and matched the ideas and fabric together for at least two or three new baby quilt ideas.

Now, there is a great photo of a new neighbor that moved in last week… 

new neighbor idea for baby quilts

I decided to check out my stash then run to my favorite fabric store.  I will be sewing on my newest design for baby quilts and “Gator” lovers in Florida just wait for this one. (Sorry if you go to the other university).   Hey!  I told you ideas just come to me.  I just have to be careful how close they get and not to feed them!

gator idea for baby quilts

University of Florida

Now, if I want to stay on the tamer side of making baby quilts and go with a more traditional and do a patchwork style, then there is always a Fence Rail, Around the World, or Jig Saw Puzzle baby quilts.  These simple patterns are based on the square or rectangle and are easily made and spruced up with color and texture.

When I design my baby quilts, I most often look first for fabrics.  The soft baby flannels, minx, quilters cottons each bring a uniquely soft texture to these baby quilts, which allow for the cozy, cuddly feeling.  The novelty and solid collection of colors and designs, adds to the gorgeous prints and plaids that make up the 100% cotton quilt flannel materials and cottons.  These arrays of colors, designs for boys or girls are as endless as your imagination.

 From the  traditional trains, planes, ABC’s, and ducks for boys to the dolls, flowers, and kittens for girls, the patterns and designs you use, the materials, colors, and textures can  now create many uniquely one-of-a-kind baby quilts.

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Designing a New Baby Quilt

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Sharon Camp

 Ready, set, go… It is not a race when I set out to design a new baby quilt.

books for baby quilt

Before I decide how I want my next baby quilt to look, I pull out the quilt books on my shelves, the magazines that I have sitting just waiting for me to leaf through their pages, and check out some of my patterns that I have saved either in boxes or on the computer files. 

Through the years, I have learned to carry my camera or a sketch pad to quilt shows, or even in a quilt shop if I see a design that intrigues me.  Filing that information away and waiting for a time when I just may use pieces or bits of those designs to get an inspiration for a baby quilt of my own.

books for baby quilt

Here are some of the starting points that I deem necessary to consider when designing a new baby quilt:

  1. Decide on the style of baby quilt you would like to make.  Is the baby quilt going to be a traditional patchwork, or more contemporary?  Do you want to piece the quilt top or appliqué?  Maybe a combination of the two?
  2. Ask yourself what is going be the purpose of the new baby quilt.  How much wear and tear will it receive and will the quilt be subject to repeated laundering?  A baby’s quilt more often soiled, dragged on the floor may need to have a quick and easy design, as compared to a wall hanging or a bed quilt, that is well cared for.
  3. Decide how much time you have available to denote to the baby quilt project.  If you need to complete the baby quilt in a short period of time, select a pattern or design for your quilt that requires limited hours of your time to quilt.  Yet, if you have the time to put into hand sewing or appliquéing a special baby quilt, choose an intricate design and put more effort into the quilting.
  4. Fabric is always an important decision.  If you choose a busy print this will hide the quilting design, use a cross-hatch grid or quilt in the ditch method.   Place intricate and detailed quilting motifs on solid-color fabrics or tone-on-tone prints.
  5. Remember that you also need to consider you own level of expertise.  If you are just a beginning quilter, choose patterns and designs that are simple and require straight lines or grids.  If you have the expertise to handle more advanced techniques, challenge yourself with the more intricate patterns, such as feather designs or if you machine quilt, meander or stipple quilting.
  6. Once you are ready to bind your baby quilt, consider again your skill level, time constraints, how much use the baby quilt will receive, or whether the baby quilt has edges that are straight, irregular or curved.

I have one more important and vital part to the process that many quilters tend to skip.  Photograph your baby quilt both from far away and close up shots.  Keep these either in an album of all your treasured works of art that your print out at your local photo shop or store digitally, both on your computer and also on a back-up copy (CD or jump drive), just in case the technology fails.  

A baby quilt is an heirloom and records should be kept.

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Quilting Designs on a Baby Quilt

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Sharon Camp

Congratulations!  You finished your baby quilt top. 

 The fabric and colors are superb and match perfectly with the baby’s new room.  Now it is time to do the hand quilting.  But the dilemma is in choosing the perfect design.  After the hours and time spent on the baby quilt top, the design of the hand quilting must be just right.  But where to start?

Here is the baby quilt I just finished today.

 princess pink handmade baby quilt

 The quilting design should follow the style and pattern of the new quilt top:

  1.  Place your baby quilt top on the design wall and study or analyze it for the elements of design
  2. Decide the amount of usage the baby quilt will receive and how often it will be cleaned or laundered.  If the project will be a wall hanging, more intricate patterns could be considered as opposed to a child’s personal blanket that will be well-loved.
  3. Considered your time.  The more intricate the pattern, the more time will be needed to complete your baby quilt and the more visually exciting the designs will become.  If time is a factor, cross-hatch grids, quilting in the ditch, or outlining stitch are effective for holding the layers together.
  4. The type of fabric in your baby quilt top will also determine the type of quilting design you should choose.  Large or busy prints require a simpler design on the baby quilt top.  On the solid colors or tone-on-tones, a decorative featured wreath or floral motif is perfect to show off that baby quilt.
  5. The quilter’s expertise in hand quilting of a baby quilt must be considered.  Stick to the simple patterns of outline quilting, straight lines or grids. As a hand quilter, stencil and patterns will allow you to bring a design onto your baby quilt.  These can be purchased commercially or traced from any pattern around the house.  Freezer paper also makers wonderful templates.  Cut out and press the freezer paper on to your fabric.  Trace and stitch around the shape.  Peel off and reuse.

 Every inch of your baby quilt does not have to be stitched.  Strive to keep a balance in the quilting throughout your baby quilt. 

 Enjoy creating the design on your baby quilt top. 

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Baby Quilts Soft Minky Fabric

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Sharon Camp

My baby quilts are soft, cuddly, and can be a wonderful touch and feel blanket.

 minky used in baby quilts

What gives the quilts that added special touch?  

The fabric is called minky, which is luxurious and silky soft.  This fabric, which is perfect for baby quilts, resembles the real mink in touch and has a soft short pile that is as soft as cashmere.

Now if you are a quilter and are interested in using minky or minx as it is sometimes referred to, here are some of my tips from using the material in my baby quilts that may come in handy. 

  • Before you begin sewing any of your baby quilts with minky, make sure you note the nap and cut pieces accordingly if you want the nap to lay in a particular direction.
  • Minky will not shrink when you wash it, so be sure to pre-wash all the other fabrics since they may.
  • Be prepared for fuzz when you cut.  Use the rotary cutter and I highly suggest that you take your pieces outside to shake them off or put them in the dryer on the air dry cycle (NO heat).
  • Test your stitch length on a scrap piece of minky material before your start. 
  • Pin to be sure the minky stays in place. The more you pin the better.
  • Use a walking foot so that the material does not slip when sewing.
  • Use a ½” seam allowance since minky tends to curl.
  • DO NOT iron minky directly.  Place minky face down and use a towel and press gently low heat or use steam.
  • Clean the machine’s throat plate, feed dog, and bobbin case OFTEN.  The fuzz can make a mess and clog the parts of your sewing machine.
  • If you hand quilt, skip these pieces, or quilt around them.  It will fluff the minky or make them more pronounced
  • If you machine quilt, use a low loft quilt batting or skip the batting altogether if you have your baby quilts are entirely made from minky.minky used in baby quilts

Babies love that soft touch.  Placing minky into your baby quilts adds the extra softness. 

I have purchased minky in lines and dots, strips and novelty prints, plus every color of the rainbow, which makes it easy to use in your baby quilts.  On the internet or at your favorite quilt shop, it is available by the yard or by the bolt for the quilts that you want to add just a few patches or ones that you would an entire quilt made.

SEW let’s make a minky soft baby quilt today.

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